"I mean no" Severus said, withdrawing his arms.

"What the bloody hell!" Hermione spluttered.

"I mean what I said Miss Granger. It is impossible for us to be together at this moment in time, perhaps at another..."

"I can't believe you are saying this" Hermione moaned, migraine returned at full blast. "Don't you realize that any of us could be dead tomorrow? I could be dead tomorrow?"

"I've taken steps to ensure that does not happen. For now you are safe living within the Order, researching..."

"I am foremost an Auror, Severus. Just because I've got a knack for reading and taking notes does not mean I am not capable. My work is my life, and taking notes and researching are only a small portion of it. I will not have my life go unlived and unfulfilled."

"Silly Gryffindor courage! Where will it lead you? To your death!" Severus face was filled with rage.

"If it does, so be it. I will not allow you to stop me from me living, Severus. Thats what Voldermort wants." Hermione's shoulders began to shake with unsaid words and unvoiced cries. She felt that if she didn't leave soon, she would lose control.

"If you want to leave, I won't beg you to stay Severus. I'm going to be strong and I'm going to be fine!" She swept past and whipped out her wand from her sleeve and took down the wards and the silencing charm. Severus stood there, watching her.

"I want you to wait for me, Hermione. I want your heart and body untouched until after the war is over."

"You are asking me to go through this dark time,not living. Not taking chances. I always believe that you should live each day to the fullest...I love you Severus. I want to be with you now. We can be careful...its possible..."

"No!" Severus roared, "He will kill you and torture you over and over with the Cruciatus until you beg to die. No, I could never live with myself..."

"You are killing me now" Hermione said with finality in her voice. She hovered by the door, her back to him. She heard Severus walk towards her, and she squared her shoulders. "Like I said Severus if you want to leave, I won't beg you to stay. Go, its better that way. Don't worry about this heart of mine."

"Don't tell me you won't miss my arms around you?" Severus said in silky voice near her ear. Hermione shook her head, cascading curls flying into his face.

"There are many things that I will miss about you, but when everything is said and done, I know that I would have missed living my life." She heard Severus walk towards the table and she knew that he had his back to her.

"Hermione" he said in a soft voice.

"Don't" she managed. Her throat was tight with tears. "Don't turn around, I don't want you seeing my cry!" Then with that said, she rushed out of the room, leaving Severus alone in the kitchen.

On her way up the staircases, she stumbled into Remus.

"Hermione!" Remus exclaimed, eying her worriedly. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face was scrunched in pain.

"Oh hello Remus" Hermione said. "Sorry to have jostled you. I have a headache and I can't see where I am going. Goodnight."

"Hermione are you alright?" Remus asked her as she tried to rush hurriedly past him. He gently grabbed her arm.

"Oh yes, I am quite fine. I just have this headache, migraine really. I just need to sleep it off and I will better than ever. " She patted his arm absently. "Sleep well" she said.

"Sweet dreams" Remus told her. He watched her form blunder in the hallway as she groped her way towards her room in the dark. He winced as she ran into a table placed in the hallway. He heard her curse.

"Alright?" Remus called out. Hermione nodded and blushed and then limping towards her room, she grasped the door hand and entered. Remus watched her with a frown. Something was wrong. Shaking his head, he told himself sternly to keep out of her business, but he couldn't help overhearing snippets of the argument that she had with Snape in the kitchen.

Remus's eyes grew yellow in the dark when he thought of Hermione's tear streaked face as she rushed up the stairs. He could smell the pain and hurt that radiated off of her. Normally he could only get a whiff of other people's emotions, but Hermione's emotions and feelings were especially strong tonight.

He knew that Hermione's pain and heartache had something to do with Severus. The Order knew a little of the relationship that they had shared, but no much. Snape made sure of that. There was some disapproval, especially from Harry and Mrs. Weasely, but for the most part it was accepted. These were desperate times, unsure times. Hermione was a lively and brilliant witch. He had the pleasure of knowing her as a student, and now that she a grown woman, he could see the potential of her mind in full bloom. He admired her for her efforts in research, knowing that she was quite capable of the work of an Auror, as Harry and Ron were doing, but she choose to stay and help him with the research.

He had wanted to say something comforting to her, but he didn't want her to know that he had overheard her and Snape's argument. He could tell that would embarrass the girl. He sighed inwardly, telling himself to stay out of it. He had his own problems to contend with, but still...that look that was in her eyes, the hurt...

"Stop it Mooney, Old boy. You are getting daft in your old age" he muttered before shutting the door to his room and preparing for sleep.

The next morning...

Hermione stumbled down the stairs. Sleep had done little to refresh her and the dull ache of the migraine clung to her like residue. It's not like she had much sleep last night anyways. For hours she had tossed and turned from the pain. The pain of the migraine and the pain of her broken heart coupled together and made it impossible to sleep peacefully. Finally in the wee hours of the morning, exhaustion overcame her, and she succumbed to a troubled sleep. She dreamed of Severus being tortured by a group of Death Eaters. When she had reached to save him, he had pushed her away.

She remembered stumbling back and then attempting to reach him again, but then he pushed her away, rougher this time, and she tumbled off a cliff, and then there was nothing.

Hermione passed the mirror without looking, and managed just to brush her teeth and pull her hair back into a loose knot atop of her head. It didn't matter to her what she looked like. Nothing mattered anymore.

She threw on a pair of casual navy blue dress robes and went down to kitchen. No doubt Mrs. Weasely was down there making a huge breakfast. Hermione hoped that she could coax a cup of tea out of her some dry toast. The thought of anything heavy made Hermione want to vomit.

"Morning Mione" Harry said as he passed her in the hallway to the kitchen.

"Morning Harry" Hermione said, feigning cheerfulness. Harry stopped in his tracks and gave Hermione a concerned look.

"Everything alright?" he asked, noticing her scargly hair and tired pallor.

"Fine" Hermione replied, "Just had a bit of a headache last night. It's gone now, but do I feel like shit." Harry smiled.

"You've been working yourself too hard Mione" he said giving her a friendly pat on the back.

"Nonsense" Hermione said. "I just hate having migraines. They are worse than being stupefied ten times in a row."

"I bet" Harry said sympathetically. "But it can't be worse than deflecting a really bad hex from a Death Eater." Harry grinned reminiscing a particular skin splicing hex that had come flying his way two nights ago.

"It can, trust me" Hermione said dryly. "About that Harry, you know the mission that you introduced to us last night. I think I would like to have a go at it." Harry was silent for a moment.

"Really Hermione?"

"Really" she said. Harry smiled.

"You were always a good one to have at your back in all the action. Of course. I will announce it tonight. I am relieved actually. I can trust this to you, I know how capable you are Hermione."

"Is Ron going with you on your mission?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah." Harry nodded. "It will be nice to see all three of us come out of this alive. But I don't doubt that you will Hermione."

"Thanks Harry. I really appreciate this. I needed an opportunity to get away from the books" Hermione gave a nervous giggle.

"Are you sure that you are alight?" Harry asked.

"Perfectly" Hermione assured him as she went past him and into the kitchen. Molly Weasely looked up from her place at the stove where she was frying some eggs in a pan. Hermione wrinkled her nose.

"Good morning Mrs. Weasely" Hermione offered.

"Good morning Hermione. Sleep well?"

"So so. Do you have any toast?" Hermione asked this carefully, praying that Mrs. Weasely wouldn't give her a loaded plate filled with all kinds of greasy breakfast food.

"Over there in the basket, dear" Mrs. Weasely motioned with her free arm to the table. Hermione sank gratefully into a chair. She was just about to reach for a piece of toast when Mrs. Weasely plopped down a loaded plate of food in front of her. Hermione gave her an uneasy smile.

"Really, Molly, I couldn't eat all of this. Its too much" she protested weakly.

"Nonsense. You are way too thin. I said the same thing to Harry this morning."

"Good morning Hermione" Remus said as he entered the kitchen. "Good morning Molly" he added.

"Good Morning Remus. Glad you are up. You can convince Hermione to eat her breakfast." Remus turned a kind eye to Hermione.

"A pleasant task" he assured Mrs. Weasely. She gave him a bright smile as she plopped down a heavily laden plate in front of him. Remus winked at Hermione.

"I wonder if Ron is up yet?" Mrs. Weasely wondered. "That boy would sleep through an earth quake if he could. I think I will go get him up. He mustn't miss his breakfast. Not that he particularly needs it" she muttered as she went out the kitchen, "That boy is a bottomless pit." Hermione laughed and Remus beamed at her.

"Feeling better?" he asked. Hermione nodded.

"Yes. Most of the pain is gone. But there is a dull ache left, nothing that I can't handle though" she said quickly.

"I have some headache potion" Remus offered. Hermione smiled at him.

"I took some last night" she informed him, "But I am afraid I had to take all of the bottle."

"Then take some of mine. Its one of my recipes. Its not great, but it should take the edge off."

"Thank you Remus" Hermione smiled at him, Remus felt something move within his heart.

"I'm surprised that you didn't ask Severus for some. His headache potions are pretty potent...Oh Gods I am a blundering idiot. I am so sorry Hermione." Hermione gave him a small smile.

"Its alright. People are going to know sooner or later." She shrugged. "I am fine Remus. Or at least I am going to be."

"If you need someone to talk to..." Remus began.

"I'll come straight to you" she assured him. "Oh my Gods," she exclaimed, looking down at her plate, "That woman could feed the entire Wizarding world."

"You need some nourishment" Remus pointed out.

"Not this much" Hermione muttered, pointing her wand at the full plate and muttering "Reducto!" She pushed her chair back from the table and reached for a dry piece of toast.

"I will stop by your rooms later for the potion Remus" she said.

"Hermione wait!"

Hermione whipped around, "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you would like accompany me to Diagon Alley? There is a book that Dumbledore asked me to look for at Flourish and Blotts."

"Yes, yes of course. I would love to get out for awhile." Hermione smiled. "Thank you Remus. I will be in my room. I need to repair one of knitted sweaters. Its been snowing all week."